Safety appliance for railway-platforms.



R. C. GALLINANT. SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY PLATFORMS.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

, WI TNES %W ,PNOTO-LIYNO.. WASHINGYDN. u c.

R. C. GALLINANT.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY PLATFORMS.

APPLICAUON FILED m n. 6, 1916.

1 $16,566. I Patented Feb. 20,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NANT, a 01 (INT "RAPHAEL C. GALLINANT, RIDGEFIELID PAR To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAPHAEL tizen of the United siding at Ridgefield Park,

in the Stat certain Safety of which ings, forming a part hereof.

In Patent N o. 1,050,937issued to the present applicant on January 21, 1913, there is shown and described a sa railway platforms meet many objections tie invention coveled by said patent end doors. guard platfoim in which the invention of l ered the applicant was illustrated as embodied in sai patent, while entirely adequate to acionary complish the advantageous results sought for, was cipl to receive the sliding platform. The movable grating is intended to slide outwa tion platform e of New new and useful l'mprovements 1n Appliances peculiar to its construction and n the embodiment ore particularly, mprove a known type of guard which has been widely tested, but found to possess many objections ts general Thl@ @TATES PATENT K, NEW JERSEY.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY-PLATFORMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

: Application filed March 6, 1916. Serial No. 82,342.

(l. GALLI- for Railway-Platforms,

wit 1 th fety appliance for 1s brought to which was found in all similar of tl ely illustrative of the prinwas based and,

The present inyielc cerned with a platform which the section is all of the requirements stated 7 body of the car.

and which shall possess some shown in said the invention sition of the c the car This known grating of grate bars of the guard ally rdly from the edge of the stathis construction resides in the great loss of bridged; each section time involved s op 1n in bringing so that the latter, be d whichwhat eliminate whatiis ,7 so that no matter in what position the car rest, the guard platform, when extended, will bear snugly points beneath The lmproved as a section, is grate bars intended to r grate edge of the station bear against the side connection of the yielding; character the guard platform adapts ar with respe the station platform and t and platform is br whether the car tion or another m will be the improved sections interconnected, through a slot and stud any desired length of proved platfor manner described, to th and the outline thereof. escribed more ence to the accol diagrammatically does not bearthroughout its length against the side of the rigidity, is brought to in engagement with the the remainder car, but, by reason of its of its ed known as a platform its outer end to a limited by contact with the the pivotal several grate bars to the outer transverse frame member and the of the actuating devices,

reason of Figure 1 is a top view illustrating some the application or rest with one point edge of the car and ge spaced from the n accordance y the patent nventlon, it is sought to the'center door and at the platform, conformed of a series of est slidably between bars mounted along the and each conitself to the poct to the edge of be space between idged completely happens to stop in one posiand whether the curve be concave or 7 convex. Practically, the imformed as a series which are pivotinstances engagement, so that form may be relative flexiadapting itself, in the e extent of the space The invention will particularly with refernpanying' drawings, in

the inventionto a station platform on a concave curve. 7 I

Fig. 2 1s, asnnilar view illustrating the application of the invention to a station platform on a'convex curve.

Fig. '8 is a view in vertical transverse section showing the relation of the guard platformto the station platform and a car, portions of the station platform and the car being shown, while the guard platform is rep'resented'as withdrawnto itsnested position. I

Fig. 4 is a partial view similar to Fig. 8, but showing the guard platform projected toward the car to close the space between the edge of the station platform and the car.

1 Fig. 5 is a view in plan of one section of V the platform shown-in Fig. 4, in its extended the improved sliding position. Fig. 6 ing the connection of one of the grate bars of platform. Fig. 7 is adetail view of one of the end grate bars of the improved sliding platform.

' 1 Fig. 8 is a fragmentaryview in plan of a guard platform made up of aseries of the improved sectionsand showing a convenient latter being mounted, as usual, upon trucks which comprise through a-xles and wheels 6 which travel upon rails f.

Before describing a complete guard platform made up of a series of the improved sections, it will facilitate the understanding ofthe invention to describe one such section 'whenits flexibility and the flexibility of the entire platform will better appear.

Referring then particularl to Figs. 37,

r it will be observed that the edge of the station platform a, tended to receive the improved platform, is formedwi or so much thereof as is inh fixed grate bars a spaced from one another and forming virtually a' portion upper edges of of the platform itself. Between these fixed grate bars a are slidably disposed a series of'grate bars 9, the upper'edges of which fall preferably slightly below the level of the the fixed grate'bars a, so that movement of the slidable bars 9 within the spaces between the fixed grate bars a may be freely effected without such resistance as would be offered by contact of the feet of persons standing over the grating and without such resulting annoyance as might be occasioned to such persons. The bars 9 may be supportedin any convenient manner, as by transverse frame members it secured to the platform and extending under the bars. Likewise, the bars may be held against vertical displacement with respect to their plane of movement by either extendthe lower members it.

is a fragmentarydetail view showdirection or ing the station platform directly over them,

in which case the fixed grate bars u might have substituted therefor any suitable guiding and spacing members for the movable barsg, such as studs, blocks, etc, or the stationary grate bars a, illustrated in the drawings, might have extended transversely thereof suitable frame members similar to The invention is not limited to any details thus far described inasmuch as it will be quite evident to one skilled in the art that a series of slidable grate bars, such as are indicated by the character g, may be mounted for extension and retraction from a relatively fixed surface, in many different ways. Each grate bar g, at its outer end, is connected to a transversely extending frame member i in such manner that this frame member may have a free swinging movement about the edge of each one of the grate bars, but not a bodily move ment with respect thereto. One convenient way of forming this connection, where the general construction is similar to that shown in the drawings, is by making the frame member 71 at least partially channeled, as shown in Fig. 6, so that it has a longitudinally extending flange z" with which may engage slots g formed in each of the grate bars. with, perhaps, the exception of the two end bars of each section. The flange i rests loosely within the slots 9, so that a limited relative play between each bar and the trans verse frame member i is permitted, although bodily movement of the frame member with respect to the bars is positively prevented. To prevent this bodily movement, however, it will be evident that it is desirable for at least one, if not more, of the grate bars 1 to be secured positively to the transverse frame member f and, in the illustrated embodiment, it is preferred to secure the two end grate bars 9 of each section pivotally to the frame, as by studs 9 It will now be evident that when the improved section shown in Fig. 5 is extended, as under the influence of any suitable actuating device, shown in the drawings as a piston red A: pivotally connected to one of the grate bars 9, as at is, and intended to be moved in one the other by means of fluid or spring pressure, the frame member 6 when it engages the side of the car will assume a position in snug engagement therewith throughout the length of the frame member, the grate bars 9 being extended to a greater or less extent depending entirely upon the distance between the station platform and. that portion of the car to which the particular grate bar extends. For instance, as shown in Fig. 5, it may be assumed that the car body is inclined along a line parallel, to the inclination of the frame member i in which case the frame member 5 will lie snugly alongside the car and the grate bars 9 by reason of their loose pivotal connection with the member i will permit this ready accommodation of the member to, the side of the car and be extended to a greater or less extent according to the distance to be spanned by each bar between the edge of the platform and the car.

Having now described the improved form of the sectional guard platform, the description will take up a complete platform formed of a series of such improved sections as will usually be employed. Such a platform will consist of a series of short guard platforms or sections which are flexibly connected as through pivot pins Z which, in some cases, may ride loosely in slots I of short spanning sections I, as shown in Fig. 8, so as to permit the several sections to have some slight rela tive longitudinal movement in order that they may accommodate themselves to different positions on a curve. In practice, it may be desirable to place lamps m under the movable gratings to shine up through the guard platforms and warn passengers to step from the station platform to the car platform, or vice versa, rather than to remain standing on the guard platform.

It is not necessary that means for moving the guard platform shall be applied to each plied to any particular number of the grate bars of each section. In Fig. 5, a practical method has been shown in which the piston rod is pivoted to only one such grate bar. This permits free accommodation of the other members to the distance which is spanned. However, where desired, two such grate bars a at distances from one another may be pivotally interconnected by a transversely extending equalizer rod. n which, in turn is pivotally connected adjacent its mid section to the actuating piston k (Fig. 8). The actuating devices will be designed, however, in each instance to suit the particular conditions of use. Again, where desired, the means for moving the platform may be applied to each alternate section. since the intermediate sections are carried by and moved with the alternate sections and adapt themselves to the positions of the alternate sections. For instance, in Fig. 8 is shown,- what may be termed a spanning section, formed by a transverse frame member I to which are pivotally united grate bars G in much the same manner as described with respect to the section shown in Fig. 5,

this spanner section being especially useful on sharp curves where parallel movement of all of the grate bars of all of the sections is not feasible. The spanner section shown may have its sliding bars G guided by means of studs a carried by the platform a. This spanner section is actuated by the adjacent sections to which it is joined and will accommodate itself to especial advantage to the space found between successive cars adjacent the end doors. This spanner section will be moved'readily into the space between such cars and so afford every possible protection to passengers standing on the platform near the end doors.

The piston rod 70 which actuates the sections carries at its other end a piston 70 within a cylinder 70 which is mounted in a suitable space therefor immediately below the floor a of the station platform. The piston may be actuated by any convenient fluid under pressure, but preferably by air under pressure, and it may be moved in either direction by the air pressure. shown in the drawings the air pressure is applied behind the piston to move the guard platform outward away from the stat-ion platform toward the car, and a spring 70* is placed in the cylinder to bear, at one end, against the other side of the piston and at the other end against the cylinder head to return the piston and the corresponding portion of the guard platform to position below the floor of the station platform when the air pressure behind the piston is relieved. The system of piping, etc.,

by which the desired actuation is effected need not be described in detail here, as the system shown is identical with that described in the patent hercinbefore referred to, forms no part of the present invention, and is merely illustrative of one practical system for practising the invention.

Each terminal section of the guard platform, it will be understood, is preferably pivoted at a fixed point a as through an inclined link 2' as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that if a train draws into a station While the guard platform is out, the forward end of the leading car will strike the link 2' and so will push back the guard platform as the train advances without carrying away the platform, the several sections of the guard platform rubbing against the side of the car as the train continues to move. The elasticity of the air behind the pistons and in the pipes and reservoir is suliicient to permit the guard platform to yield without injury, but if desired safety valves 70 may be provided to permit the escape of air to the atmosphere when the pistons are pushed back. It will be understood that the pressure throughout the series of cylinders will be equalized regardless of the extent of movement of the various pistons, so that some sections of the guard platform may be moved forward farther than others to an extent limited by the distance of the side of the car body from the edge of the station platform, but the safety valves may also function to accommodate varying conditions.

It will be understood that the springs Z3 offer yielding resistance to the forward movement ofthe pistons and prevent the sections of the guard platform from being thrownviolently against the sides of the carst while they also constitute yielding means to move the sections in the opposite direction when the air pressure is relieved. The devices for throwing the sections for- .ward are also yielding,.-so.that, as before explained, one portion of the guard platform hasonly a slight movement until it is stopped by contact with the car, while other sections have a greater movement, and one end of each section may have a greater movement than the other end ofthe same section, 'as explained, so that all of the spaces are entirely closed throughout the length of the platform. I p

Various changes in details of construction and arrangement may be made to suit different conditions of use and the. invention is not "limited to the particular construction 7 shown and described herein.

I claim as my invention:

7 I 1. A guard platform for railway platforms formed of a series of grate bars, each engaged pivotally at its outer end to a single transverse .frame member which bears against the car when the guard platform is extended.

2. The combination with a station platform of a guard platform comprising a series of barsmounted slidably on the station platform, and a frame member adapted to bear against'the car when the guard platform is extended and pivotally engaged with each of said bars. I V

3. The combination with a station plat form of a sectional guard platform mounted slidably thereon, the several sections being connected together, and each comprising a to bear against the car when the guard platform is extended and pivotally engaged with each of the bars, means to throw the several sections forward simultaneously but to varying extents determined by contact with a relatively fixed stop at Varying disi Copies of this patent may be obtained for 'tances, and yielding means to move the several sections in the opposite direction.

5. The combination with a station platform of a guard platform comprising a series of bars mounted slidably on the station platform, means carried by the station platform to guide the bars in their travel and a frame member adapted to bear against the car when the guard platform is extended and pivotally engaged with each of said bars.

6. The combination with a station platform'of a' guard platform comprising a series of bars mounted slidably on the station platform, fixed grate bars mounted on the edge of the station platform and between which the first named bars are disposed, respectively, and a frame member adapted to bear against the car when the guard platform is extended and pivotally engaged with each of said bars.

7. The combination with a station platform of a guard platform comprising a series of bars mounted slidably on the station platform, means carried by the station platform to guide the bars in their travel, a frame member adapted to bear against the car when the guard platform is extended, and a longitudinally extending flange on the frame member with which slots in the bars are pivotally engaged.

8. The combination with a station platform of a guard platform comprising a. series of bars mounted slidably on the station platform, fixed grate bars mounted on the edge of the station platform and between which the first named bars are disposed, respectively, a frame member adapted to bear against the car when the guard platform is extended. a longitudinally extending flange on'the frame member with which slots in certain of the bars are pivotally engaged and a positive pivotal engagement between said frame member and one of said bars.

9. Thecombination with a station platform of a sectional guard platform mounted movably thereon, a spanning section pivotally connected between two of the sections of the guard platform and comprising a series of grate bars each engaged pivotally at its outer end with a single transverse frame member.

This specification signed this 4th day of March, A. D. 1916.

RAPHAEL C. GALLINANT.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

